TeamGroup Announces Intentions for DDR5, ELITE DDR5-5200 in 2021
by Gavin Bonshor on December 1, 2020 1:00 PM EST
Earlier in the year, we learned that a lot of DDR5 manufacturing is already in the pipeline, with Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron all making announcements this year regarding their respective DDR5 plans. All of this speculation points to a 2021 launch, and to our surprise one of the module manufacurers is leading a charge. TeamGroup today is making an official statement revealing its plans to launch its ELITE series product lines, starting with DDR5-4800 modules and moving up to DDR5-5200.
Since the official specifications of DDR5 have been published by JEDEC, the initial standards include DDR5-3200 all the way to DDR5-6400, with future standards of up to DDR5-8400 expected. However, the full specifications haven't been unveiled. In October, we examined information on sub-timings and latency with DDR5, and we also saw SK Hynix's announcement of its DDR5-4800 memory.
TeamGroup is a module manufacturer, and it has signaled its intentions to manufacture its first DDR5 under its popular ELITE series. The TeamGroup ELITE DDR5 series will first be available in 16 GB DDR5-4800 modules, with an operating voltage of 1.1 V, which is down from 1.2 V compared to the previous generations. TeamGroup states that this is an increase of up to 1.6 times the performance compared to its current memory (4800/3000 = 1.6), reducing 10% in power consumption. However, it doesn't specify whose DDR5 chip it will use, although this is likely to be unveiled at a later date.
As we know from the official DDR5 specifications, each module will include on-die ECC for cell-to-cell data coherence (module-wide ECC is still optional). There are also two channels on each DDR5 memory stick. This is similar to LPDDR4 and GDDR6, with DDR5 opting for two independent 40-bit channels per module. These will still be based on the 288 pin design as DDR4 but will include different pinouts and notches/keying.
It looks as though TeamGroup is in full control of its expected DDR5 launch, which they state is likely to be in Q3 2021. It hasn't provided specific details about its ELITE DDR5 series, but there is a lot of time between now and the third quarter of next year, and we expect to hear much more information sometime within the next few months. The fact that ELITE is a consumer brand suggests that TeamGroup knows we will be seeing a consumer-grade processor around that time with DDR4, but ELITE is also the base bare-PCB variant, which might be focused more to base enterprise models instead.
Related Reading
- Insights into DDR5 Sub-timings and Latencies
- DDR5 is Coming: First 64GB DDR5-4800 Modules from SK Hynix
- DDR5 Memory Specification Released: Setting the Stage for DDR5-6400 And Beyond
- SK Hynix: We're Planning for DDR5-8400 at 1.1 Volts
- Cadence DDR5 UpdateL Launching at 4800 MT/s, Over 12 DDR5 SoCs in Development
Source: TeamGroup
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JfromImaginstuff - Thursday, December 3, 2020 - link
CertainlyOxford Guy - Monday, December 14, 2020 - link
"Ah it feels good to be discussing innovative chip design again."It's hardly much competition, given Apple's boutique positioning. But, at least it's better than the attitude I got when I said Zen 3 should have been able to run DDR5, not just DDR4.
The attitude is: "AMD will give you DDR5 when AMD sees fit to give you DDR5" — with a sprinkling of "Zen 3 doesn't need that much RAM speed anyway". (Uh... because AMD designed it with the intention of not supporting DDR5.)
Spunjji - Tuesday, December 15, 2020 - link
The attitude was more like "DDR5 isn't actually out yet and no self-interested CPU manufacturer is going to release a CPU that requires non-existent RAM", although yes, there was also commentary to the effect that the performance differences would be largely non-existent. That remains a fact.Even worse, AM4 can't support DDR5, so they'd have had to design and release a bunch of halfway-house AM5 boards that had 50/50 DDR4 and DDR5 slots, but that you could only fill with DDR4. By the time DDR5 becomes available, Zen 4 will be mostly done. "Upgrading" to DDR5 would get the vast majority of users no performance benefit, because as you astutely observed, AMD are smart enough not to design a CPU to need a memory subsystem that doesn't yet exist.
It's disheartening to see that even after people explained this to you, you're still pushing the same bizarre narrative.
Oxford Guy - Monday, December 21, 2020 - link
I know you are compelled to disagree with me for sport or whatever but:• DDR4 is old.
• AMD doesn't even bother to force OEMs to use decent speed DDR4 for its APUs
• AM4's longevity was nice but it is not a straightjacket
• AMD has long focused on performance graphics in APUs which makes DDR4 unappealing
• Intel was able to design consumer CPUs that could support DDR3 and DDR4, while keeping the die size small
• Couldn't take advantage of the speed is nonsense. Firstly, there is the APU and secondly there is the ability to design the CPU to be able to take advantage of the speed
Oxford Guy - Monday, December 21, 2020 - link
Also, inadequate competition in the market (duopoly) also artificially extends the lifespan of old tech.James5mith - Thursday, December 3, 2020 - link
"The fact that ELITE is a consumer brand suggests that TeamGroup knows we will be seeing a consumer-grade processor around that time with DDR4..."Yeah, we've been seeing those for quite some time now. Like since 2015 or so.
CheapSushi - Friday, December 11, 2020 - link
I really hope ECC becomes the default and bog standard for every one. It should not be artificially segregated. It should just be ALL DIMM RAM. It doesn't take away from anything It only adds something good. Just allow it for everyone. Make all DIMMS ECC unless ultra dirt cheap.Oxford Guy - Monday, December 14, 2020 - link
It was in the 1983 Apple Lisa. Of course, the 1 MB of RAM in that also cost Apple $2500 per machine. That was before Japanese firms managed to corner the DRAM market and prices were sent through the roof, too.Oberoth - Sunday, January 3, 2021 - link
Will there be a difference in bandwidth/performance between DDR5-3200 vs DDR4-3200?